Man wanted for 11 serial murders held

The police have arrested 43-year-old “serial killer” Ram Saroop, alias Sodhi, of Garhshankar for his alleged involvement in 11 murder cases.

The police said the murders took place in Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Hoshiarpur in the past year.

Rupnagar SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana said Sodhi was arrested from Chaura village in Garhshankar, Hoshiarpur. He said the accused was produced before a court, which remanded him in five-day police custody.

Sources said Sodhi used to take lift from vehicle owners and later killed them.

The police suspect that the serial killer was sexually active and killed only men after a dispute over payment for sex.

The sources said Sodhi used to strangle his victims with an orange stole.

He was arrested in the murder case of Kiratpur Sahib resident Maninder Singh (37), whose body was found in bushes on the Manali road on August 18.

Maninder used to run a tea stall near the Modra toll plaza. A case under Section 103 of the BNS was registered at the Kiratpur Sahib police station on August 19. With Sodhi’s arrest, the police claimed to have solved two murder cases in Rupnagar.

Kiratpur Sahib SHO Jatin Kapoor said, “Ghanauli resident Mukadar Singh (34), alias Billa, a tractor mechanic, was found dead with grevious injuries near Bahra village on April 5. A murder case was registered at Kiratpur Sahib on April 6. On January 24, Harpreet Singh, alias Sunny, of Rupnagar was found dead in his car near Nirankari Bhawan in Rupnagar. A murder case was registered at the Rupnagar city police station on January 25.”